Despite making significant investments during the January transfer window, the Blues have only won one of their nine games since the World Cup. Chelsea is now tenth in the Premier League standings after this run, and they are working hard to placate their irate fan base.
They have a challenging assignment against a Dortmund team that has six victories under their belt since the World Cup and is closely pursuing Bayern Munich for the Bundesliga championship.
Graham Potter could approach this challenging match as follows:
Predicted Chelsea lineup versus Borussia Dortmund
GK: Kepa Arrizabalaga – With Mendy still out, Coach Potter has no alternative but to give Kepa the nod, who has shown inconsistent form.
RB: Reece James – Now completely recovered, James has been building up his playing time in recent weeks and is expected to start again on Wednesday.
CB: Trevoh Chalobah – Due to Benoit Badiashile’s absence from Chelsea’s Champions League roster, Chalobah is likely to partner Thiago Silva at center back.
CB: Thiago Silva – Chelsea will benefit from Silva’s knowledge and expertise, especially in high-pressure away matches like the one against Dortmund.
LB: Marc Cucurella – Despite contributing to Chelsea’s goal against West Ham, Cucurella continues to struggle with poor passing and defensive errors.
CM: Ruben Loftus-Cheek – He performed well in the match against West Ham and his substitution in the second half indicates that he will keep his starting position with Kante and Kovacic still unavailable.
CM: Enzo Fernandez – He provided a top-notch assist for Joao Felix’s goal on Saturday, and Chelsea will hope he can replicate that level of performance in this week’s match.
RW: Noni Madueke – Making his first start for the club, he demonstrated his potential with a few promising moments. He will aim to continue that form.
CAM: Joao Felix – He bounced back from a lackluster debut with a goal against West Ham, which should give him the confidence he needs to help turn Chelsea’s fortunes around.
LW: Mykhaylo Mudryk – Despite being new to Chelsea, he has already shown plenty of potential in his first two games and will be eager to prove himself in the Champions League.
ST: Kai Havertz – Despite having a goal disallowed in the match on Saturday, he remains scoreless for three games now. He needs to improve his performance if he hopes to retain his place in Coach Potter’s starting lineup.